"Ancient Words"

I find myself taken with some of the newer Christian music which can truly be classified as hymns. "How Deep the Father's Love for Us" is one I recently shared. "Ancient Words" is another that fits the classification of a modern hymn. I had heard it sung before as a special in church, but I hadn't really remembered to try to find the lyrics to it for later reflection. The other evening on our way to Cortland, my husband popped in a new CD his mother had given him for his birthday. We didn't have it blaring, as we were talking about the day. All of a sudden I realized that I was hearing "Ancient Words." Because we both like the song, I replayed the song so we could actually listen to it.

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Like "How Deep the Father's Love for Us," this song has some great thoughts to reflect on. That's why I share them here -- for you to reflect on as well.

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Ancient Words

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Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world,

They resound with God's own heart

Oh, let the ancient words impart.

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Words of life, words of hope

Give us strength, help us cope

In this world, where e'er we roam

Ancient words will guide us home.

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Ancient words ever true

Changing me, and changing you.

We have come with open hearts

Oh let the ancient words impart.

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Holy words of our faith

Handed down to this age.

Came to us through sacrifice

Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.

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Martyrs' blood stains each page
They have died for this faith
Hear them cry through the years,
"Heed these words and hold them dear!"

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Lynn DeShazo
www.last.fm/music/Michael+W.+Smith/_/Ancient+Words
click to play

Something to Think About

Why do

the "Alphabet" song and

"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"

have the same tune?

ANTS!!

While I may wonder, especially when snow is in the forecast -- several inches, actually -- spring is coming. You may not live where ants present a perennial spring problem; but I do. Here is an interesting tip that I just might try.

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Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," but can't digest it. So, it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Like It or Not

Like it or not, Hillary has a right to stay in the race for the nomination for President. While it might not be good for the Democratic party, no one really has the right to deny her the chance to go for it until it is obvious that she won't win. I'm not condoning anyone playing dirty, when I say that people can stay in the race for as long as they want. All I am saying is that anyone who meets these three criteria can run for President -- no matter what the odds are for winning:

• at least 35 years of age
• natural-born citizen of the United States
• has lived in the United States at least 14 years

You might want to check the Constitution on that, but I think that is all that is required. When the Constitution was written, there were no political conventions held to nominate anyone to run for office. There were no state primaries or state caucuses. There are no limits as to how many people can run for the office of President.
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Although there were already two political mind-sets in place (Federalists and Anti-Federalists), the desire of the Founding Fathers was to stay away from political parties. They really didn't want what Europe was like to be what the United States would be like.
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Do I want Hillary to win? No. I know she is dishonest, that she lies without thought. I think she is an opportunist. I think she plays hard and dirty to get what she wants. Does that mean I think the other candidates, either party, are flawless? No. I think the same for them -- whoever wants to run for office can, if he/she qualifies. That person can stay in the race as long as he/she wants.
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Bottom line, though, in all of this is the principle: Is what I am doing for the good of the country?

What -- no comment on the Easter Carols idea?

Still One of My Favorites

In thinking about Good Friday -- the death of Christ -- I must say that this is still one of my favorite hymns. For that reason, I share it here:

How Deep the Father's Love for Us
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How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure.

That He would give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss!

The Father turns His face away.

As wounds which mar the chosen One

Bring many sons to glory.

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Behold the Man upon a cross,

My guilt upon His shoulders.

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished.

His dying breath has brought me life --

I know that it is finished.
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I will not boast in anything --

No gifts, no powr's, no wisdom;

But I will boast in Jesus Christ,

His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer;

But this I know with all my heart --

His wounds have paid my ransom.
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written by Stuart Townend
www.higherpraise.com/AMidDefault/HowDeepIsTheFathersLove1.htm

Good Friday

How odd it is that the godless public schools, at least around here, take Good Friday off. On our school calendar, it is called Good Friday. Monday we have off, and that is referred to as Easter Monday. I am thinking that there will come a time when that doesn't happen anymore. The other thing here in town is that our library is closed -- because it is Good Friday. Signs in the door windows will state the library is closed because it is Good Friday. I am sure that in time that will change as well.

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I overheard a high school junior this week say to some of her classmates in homeroom that she thinks Easter is a dumb holiday. What was neat, though, is that one of those classmates told her he didn't think so and told what Easter really is. (I don't know that this young man is a Christian; but I do know that he has some affiliation -- or has had -- with a church. I know that he would know.) I think that the girls was thinking about things like the Easter bunny, egg hunts, and candy -- in that case, this holiday would seem rather frivolous.

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My question, though, is directed to those of us who claim to be followers of Christ: Do we really take time to reflect on the significance of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord? Have we ever really thought about what He went through because of His love for you . . . for me? For me, I try to think about it more than just at Easter time. I think that the main purpose of the Communion service at church is to cause us to take time to reflect regularly on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord so that we don't take our salvation lightly: "This do in remembrance of Me."

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What was accomplished on that Friday (or Thursday) long ago really was good. What happened the following Sunday was VERY good.

Easter Carols

While I do recall Easter falling the last Sunday of March from time to time, I can't recall its being so-o-o-o early. For me, it seemed that about two weeks after the church choir had presented its Christmas cantata, preparations were beginning for the Easter cantata. Unlike many churches, we usually end up presenting our Easter specials on Palm Sunday evening. So, we did our special last Sunday evening, which meant that I have spent this week humming snippets of that presentation while I have been at work.

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That got me thinking -- and I brought the question up at lunch today -- why do we call the songs at Christmas "Christmas Carols," but we don't call Easter songs "Easter Carols"? It did generate some talk, but not a lot because I didn't think to bring it up until near the end of the time. I said to my colleague Beatie that I should try to think to "do some research," if I had time this afternoon. (I use the expression "do some research" when I plan to google topics I am curious about.) I didn't get to it, though, because my afternoon was busier than I anticipated. HOWEVER, at the end of the day, while we were sitting in the school library biding our time until we could leave -- tomorrow we have no school -- Beatie remembered our discussion. She went over to the unabridged dictionary to look up the word carol. What she discovered said to us both that we could legitimately call the songs we sing at Easter "Easter Carols."

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noun: a song, esp. of joy

verb (used with object): to sing joyously; to praise or celebrate in song

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With this in mind, someone this weekend may overhear Beatie, Martha, and/or me using that expression when we talk to some of our friends about the music we will be singing this weekend.

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EASTER CAROLS !!

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Which is your favorite? Why don't we sing these as many weeks in a row as we do Christmas ones?

Something to Ponder

This interesting thought appeared on my new google homepage. Perhaps it can generate some coffee shop or water cooler discussion:

In the wintertime,

why don't entire clouds freeze

and fall to the ground?

Whate'er My God Ordains Is Right

When I listen to religious music, I often find myself closing my eyes so that I might better listen to the words. Posted below are the words to a selection I heard the other evening. I made a mental note to look up the poem later so that I could see -- and remember -- what the poet wrote.

Whate'er My God Ordains Is Right

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Whate’er my God ordains is right,

Holy His will abideth.

I will be still whate’er He does,

And follow where He guideth.

He is my God,

Though dark my road.

He holds me that I shall not fall.

Wherefore to Him I leave it all.

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Whate’er my God ordains is right,

He never will deceive me.

He leads me by the proper path;

I know He will not leave me.

I take, content,

What He hath sent.

His hand can turn my griefs away,

And patiently I wait His day.

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Whate’er my God ordains is right,

Though now this cup in drinking

May bitter seem to my faint heart,

I take it all unshrinking.

My God is true;

Each morn anew.

Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart,

And pain and sorrow shall depart.

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Whate’er my God ordains is right;

Here shall my stand be taken.

Though sorrow, need, or death be mine,

Yet I am not forsaken.

My Father’s care

Is round me there.

He holds me that I shall not fall,

And so to Him I leave it all.

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The best tune is the one written by Johann Pachelbel.

For Those Old Enough

IT'S ALL ABOUT CHOICES

Where to Live After Retirement

You can live in Phoenix, Arizona where . . .

1. You are willing to park three blocks away because you found shade.
2. You've experienced condensation on your posterior from the hot water in the toilet bowl.
3. You can drive for four hours in one direction and never leave town.
4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
6. The four seasons are tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

You can Live in California where. . .

1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.
2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
3. You know how to eat an artichoke.
4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.
6. The four seasons are Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought.

You can Live in New York City where . . .

1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan.
2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
3. You think Central Park is "nature."
4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual.
5. You've worn out a car horn.
6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

You can Live in Maine where . . .

1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco.
2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
3. You have more than one recipe for moose.
4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
5. The four seasons are winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

You can Live in the Deep South where . . .

1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "Y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin'" is a valid defense.
4. Everyone has two first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, etc.

You can live in Colorado where . . .

1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the day care center.
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.
4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

You can live in the Midwest where . . .

1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"

OR

You can live in Florida where . . .

1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.
4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
5. Cars in front of you are often driven by headless people

Don't you feel pity for the person who has a tough last name to have to live with? What we forget is that it is possible to go to court to have it changed. I know that when my husband and I went to apply for our marriage license, we were asked these questions:

1. Do you each want to retain your own last names?
2. Do you want a hyphenated last name made of your last names?
3. Do you (me) want to take your husband's last name?
4. Do you want to have an entirely different last name? (H-m-m! Maybe we should have tried numbers instead of letters: 3251959611954.)

This is why I say that it is possible to change names -- think of immigrants who do that to seem more American (or to make easier a difficult-to-spell name from the motherland). Think of those individuals who are under the government's witness protection program.

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It is bad enough when children get saddled with peculiar first names, but think of those with the last names that cause any one of a number of reactions . . . What would you do?

Musings

Well, unlike some politicians we know (ones often referred to in article about the current scandal), our governor opted to resign. It didn't take too many days, which is a benefit to our state, especially since the budget is due April 1. Too often politicians who get themselves into trouble fight to stay in office, regardless of the toll it might take on their state or their country. This is true of both major political parties: Bill Clinton, Larry Craig, etc.

How refreshing it would be if politicians were less self-serving and more "people-serving"!

Way to Go, Eliot!

It's bad enough that we have Hillary and Chuck as our U.S. Senators. Now we add to the mix our arrogant governor, Eliot Spitzer to the mix. He illustrates several principles the Bible addresses: "Pride cometh before destruction . . ."; "Be sure your sin will find you out"; and many others.

The sad thing, though, is that in talking with some high schoolers today, a colleague of mine was shocked to hear that they could care less about what the governor had done -- what shocked them, instead, was the money he was paying out.

I said to my colleague, when she was telling me about this later, that if you take the time to chart various incidents over the last 20 years, you can see how what was once completely unacceptable to the average American now is. She went on to say to me, "It isn't going to get any better, is it?" I said, "No." She seemed to know what the Bible says, although I am not too sure about whether or not she is a true believer.

Regardless, what a sad commentary on the state of the USA.

Two interesting quotes from one of my favorite writers -- Anonymous

If it's green, it's biology.

If it stinks, it's chemistry.

If it has numbers, it's math.

If it doesn't work, it's technology.

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in groups.

It Just Continues . . .

Saturday evening we are invited to join some of the relatives for supper -- probably mostly a gathering of people who have March birthdays (or are married to them). Guess what we are supposed to take, according to my husband? J-E-L-L-O !! I asked him the question I still do not get an answer for: What is it about Jello?
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A few Sundays ago we had a post-church dinner. People brought whatever it was they wanted to bring. Since I find myself in the church kitchen as a part of the Social Committee, I decided to take a quick, informal poll. Would you believe that 100% of the people I asked about Jello that day aren't fans of Jello AND also don't get what the big deal is about Jello.
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Although I doubt anything will change -- always having to have Jello at church dinners (and Eaton meals) -- I took comfort from knowing that there are others out there, not at all related to me, who think the same way about Jello that I do . . . What's the big deal about Jello?
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I wrote about Jello last year: mssensibility.blogspot.com/2007/04/what-is-it-about-jello-salads.html.